Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a Kashmir University (KU) student, Aqib Ahmad Malik, in a 2018 case filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), police officials said on Saturday.
Malik, 26, a resident of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, was summoned to Nigeen police station in Srinagar on Friday and arrested. He is a MSc Biochemistry student at KU, who had been come home after the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Yes, we have arrested him in a case registered under UAPA in 2018,” said Nigeen station house officer Gowhar Ahmad. He refused to divulge any further details.
Sources said that a case under Section 13 of UAPA was registered against Malik at the Nigeen police station in 2018. Section 13 deals with a person who advocates, abets, advises or incites the commission of any unlawful activity.
Hazratbal superintendent of police Sudhanshu Verma said that they arrested Malik after collecting evidence in the case. “Without evidence we could not have arrested him. Besides, due to the Covid-19 pandemic it took some time. That is why he has been arrested now,” said Verma.
Malik’s family says they suspect the case is related to a protest he held at the university hostel against poor quality of food.
{{/usCountry}}Malik’s family says they suspect the case is related to a protest he held at the university hostel against poor quality of food.
{{/usCountry}}“He had protested against the bad quality of hostel food in 2018. He had raised a voice against corruption and that is why things went bad for him,” said Faizan Mushtaq, Malik’s younger brother. He added, “My brother has been at home for the past three months.”
Malik’s family members are now travelling to Srinagar to meet him.
Kashmir University officials said that the case was not filed by the varsity. “The university has been closed owing to Covid outbreak and no classes are going on. He is our student and has appeared in a recent exam. It is a 2018 case in Nigeen police station. We have not filed any case against him. Issues in hostels are a part of the university life,” said KU registrar Nisar Ahmad Mir.